


With This Ring

by TheDancingDoctor



Category: Hannibal (TV)
Genre: Babies, Drama, F/M, Married Couples, Wedding Rings
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-01-28
Updated: 2017-07-15
Packaged: 2018-09-20 12:53:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,322
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9491711
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheDancingDoctor/pseuds/TheDancingDoctor
Summary: Bedelia and Hannibal are very attached to their wedding rings, and after Hannibal's incarceration, Bedelia makes a horrifying discovery.





	1. I

Bedelia nervously fiddled with the ring on her left hand as she walked as confidently as possible into the office of Dr Alana Bloom at BSHCI. She was more angry than she had been in a long time.

“I demand that you hand over Hannibal’s personal effects to me, I was listed as his next of kin, was I not? And after you’ve given me what I’m asking for, I further demand that I be allowed to see him. You can’t keep my husband from me,” she said defiantly, her head held high.

Alana stood up from her desk, matching Bedelia’s posture. “I can stop you from seeing him while he’s still under observation. You’re not listed as his next of kin or as his therapist. Your marriage was a farce and you’re his victim.”

Bedelia scoffed, her hand moving to shield her slight bump from Alana. “Who gave you this faulty information?”

“The FBI did,” Alana replied, “they feel that it would be dangerous for you to come into contact with Hannibal as one of his victims.”

“But you’re allowed to see him... as well as Will Graham is allowed to see him I presume?” Bedelia asked. “If I was Hannibal’s victim, how are the two of you any different?”

Alana shook her head. “I am allowed to see him as the administrator of this facility. Will is allowed to see him as a federal agent. You were brainwashed by him, much like Miriam Lass was.”

“Please, we can go talk to Hannibal and get all of this sorted out. He’ll tell you the truth. He doesn’t lie. And even if you decide that I don’t have the rights of seeing him and of caring for his possessions, perhaps you’ll allow me that right as the mother of his unborn child, who will be listed as his next of kin,” she replied, her hands curling around the top of the chair in front of her, the diamonds on her ring glinting in the faint sunlight that was streaming through the windows. She looked down at it with a smile. She and Hannibal belonged together, they were together in their hearts, though kept apart by external forces.

Alana looked at the ring briefly, her jealousy spiking. Hannibal had never given her anything like that, but his psychiatrist had received the honour of a gift that should only be given to someone that was loved and loving of the giver.

She remembered the argument she and Hannibal had when his personal effects were being confiscated. He had been so attached to the ring on his own finger, refusing to allow them to take it, snapping when they did. It was the only time he had acted violently since his arrival, and he hadn’t slept that night, instead he spent his time banging on the walls of his cell and, from the sounds he had been making, sobbing.

For both of them to want to keep their rings after the farce had been revealed and was over was strange to her. Hannibal was a psychopath, incapable of feeling love. There was no reason for him to feel so attached to Bedelia Du Maurier and the ring she had put on his finger. Just as there was no logical reason for Bedelia Du Maurier to continue to wear the ring Hannibal had given her.

“Are you jealous of me Alana? Jealous that Hannibal chose me over you?” Bedelia asked, a smile on her lips as she tilted her head lightly. “I would be surprised if you weren’t. He’s a skillful lover, warm, caring, gentle. But, I don’t think that you saw the same side of him that I did. He certainly didn’t love you the way he loves me. He married me, blessed me with our child. And what did he give you? That’s right, he had Abigail Hobbs defenestrate you. Though you did make the horrible mistake of betraying him, which I never did. Loyalty is rewarded, and I married him in the end.”

“I’m not jealous of you. But I know that you’re jealous of Will,” Alana retorted. “Why are you still wearing the ring? Part of your Stockholm Syndrome?”

Bedelia twitched lightly at the mention of her nemesis. “I would never be jealous of that wretched man, he betrayed Hannibal as well.”

“And Hannibal ran right back to him at the first opportunity, didn’t he?” Alana asked.

Bedelia touched her ring gently and glanced down at her bump. “You... you don’t know me. Let me see my husband. I know you’re jealous and that’s the real reason you’re keeping me from him. You don’t want to see our faces light up and for us to feel as though we’re the only two people in the world, because you still love him. I understand though, I love him. We’re just alike, you and I, except that you betrayed him. Hannibal’s desire to destroy Will Graham was fueled by his care for me and out our child. Your blindness towards our love is fueled only by your jealousy and anger that he never really loved you. You were a means to an end.”

Alana shook her head with a pained smile on her face. “How badly did he addle your brain? Clearly there’s Stockholm Syndrome, but there’s something else. They told me about the drugs, but they didn’t know you were pregnant at the time. Endangering the child Hannibal gifted you with. If he finds out, he might consider that a betrayal as well. You’re not fooling anyone. He is a psychopath, he can’t love you. It’s impossible. You should take off that ring, it’s a disgrace to the institution of marriage.”

Bedelia’s eyes narrowed. “I’ll never take this ring off. Just as Hannibal will never take his off. We swore to each other. You’ve taken him away, but you can never take away our devotion to one another.”

“Hannibal isn’t wearing his ring. We took it. It’s with his personal effects,” Alana said plainly.

Bedelia turned and brought her hand up to her mouth. She felt like she was going to be sick. She turned back to Alana, tears forming in her eyes. She wasn’t weak, she was angry and her hormones were causing the tears. “Give it back to him. That ring belongs on Hannibal’s finger, not in some locker where it can gather dust and grow old. Or if you won’t give it to him, give it to me, so I can care for it properly, since I can no longer care for my husband.”

Alana sighed. “I’ll let you see him. Not for long, but I’ll let you see him, despite my thinking that it’s a bad idea.”

Bedelia half-smiled, gently wiping her tears away. “Hannibal probably doesn’t know about the baby. I didn’t find out until I returned from Italy.”

“He might have doubts that it’s his. Just think if he thought you had betrayed him,” Alana said with a small smile.

Bedelia sighed. “You wouldn’t dare. After you betrayed him, he told me that he would never believe another word you said. Also, you took his ring. That won’t help your case where my husband is concerned.”

Alana led Bedelia to Hannibal’s cell, her heart beating faster with every step she took. She hadn’t seen him in what felt like an eternity. It was certainly their longest absense from one another, just shy of four months. When she finally caught sight of the glass walls of his cell, she gasped and began fiddling with her ring again. She wasn’t scared of him, had never really been scared of him. It would be silly to fear him, especially when she had been loyal to him. She wanted to tell him that she loved him and that she was having his child. She wanted to give him a reason to break out of this place.

She looked into the cell and gazed at Hannibal who was sitting at his table, drawing. She went to the glass and touched it. “Hannibal,” she whispered lightly.

As if sensing her presense, Hannibal looked up and grinned. “Bedelia,” he whispered. He stood up and moved to the glass. He smiled lightly and moved his hand to where hers was. They would have been touching if not for the glass between them.

Bedelia nodded. “I’ve missed you so much Hannibal.”

“As have I. I see you’re still wearing my ring. They took mine from me, but I put up a fight. Alana told me that I would never see you again. I didn’t want it to be true,” he whispered, leaning his forehead against the glass.

Bedelia smiled lightly as tears formed in her eyes. “I had to fight to be allowed to see you. They’re not letting me take your personal effects, including your ring. They’re saying that what we have is fake...”

Hannibal frowned, wishing he could wipe the tears from her eyes. “Don’t cry, my heart. I’ll make sure that you receive everything that is mine.”

He inhaled deeply before his eyes widened. “You’re pregnant?” he asked in shock.

Bedelia nodded. “Four months along,” she replied.

Hannibal smiled. “I gave you a child. Now, you’ll always have part of me, no matter what happens.”

Bedelia shook her head. “Hannibal, you have to break out of here, you have to find a way.”

He sighed lightly. “I don’t know if I can, but if I can’t, and if you have to, use our child to get what you need. My possessions, my house, my money, my estate, anything you want, use the Lecter name. It’s yours now. You have my legacy, protect it, my love.”

Bedelia nodded. “You need your ring. I’m going to try and get Alana to give it back to you. It’s not like you can hurt anyone with a plain gold wedding band. Mine, you could hurt someone with, but taking yours makes no sense. I think she’s jealous of me.”

Hannibal nodded. “I’m sure she is. Who wouldn’t be? You’re smart, beautiful-”

“Married to you,” Bedelia supplied.

Hannibal nodded. “If she won’t give my ring to you, take it with you. Promise me that you’ll take care of it, and yourself.”

Bedelia looked at him. “I’d never leave without you. Do you remember what you said to me that night? As you held my hand in yours and pressed your thumb to my ring? That as long as I wore it, you would be there for me.”

Hannibal looked down, his eyes falling on the ring again. “I wish I could be. I wish I could be there to keep that promise.”

Bedelia felt tears coming to her eyes. “Hannibal, I can’t do this without you. You need your ring back.”

Alana came to stand beside Bedelia. “Time’s up.”

Bedelia looked at her. “You can’t take me away from him like you took him away from me. You’re all heartless.”

“Said the wife of the cannibal,” Alana replied, “let’s go. Now.”

Bedelia looked at Hannibal and pressed her left hand to the glass before leaning forward. Hannibal did the same and their lips touched the glass gently, a perfect kiss. Or it would have been, if not for the barrier between them. 


	2. Chapter Two

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Flashback to wedding night, Bedelia calling Hannibal's lawyer

_Bedelia held onto Hannibal tightly as he swept her off her feet and into his arms. She knew he wanted to carry her into their hotel suite, but she couldn’t let him take another step without showing him that she loved and cherished him much more than their vows, or her words, could ever express. It was strange to her to realize that she was feeling these things, not just because Hannibal was her patient, but because she had never felt this way for any one in her entire life._

_She leaned forward and pressed her lips to his intently, stroking the back of his neck. When he pulled away slightly, his eyes found hers._

“ _Bedelia, darling heart, what was that for?” he asked._

_Bedelia stroked the nape of his neck gently. “You’re my husband now, must I have a reason for kissing you?”_

_He shook his head, a small smile forming on his lips. “Of course you don’t, darling heart,” he replied, resuming their kiss as he shut the door with his foot before carrying her to the bed._

_Pulling away once again, he set her down on the bed, removing her pumps and putting them under the dressign table, doing the same with his own shoes before joining her on the bed._

_He wrapped his arms around her and lifted her left hand up running his fingers over the ring that he had placed there only hours before._

_Bedelia smiled lightly at him. “Hannibal darling, you’re not regretting this, are you?”_

“ _No, my beloved,” he replied, pressing a kiss to her hair, “I’m just thinking about today. Symbolically. What this ring represents, and how I mean to show it to you every single day.”_

_Bedelia flushed. “Oh, care to enlighten me?” she asked, cuddling closer into his embrace._

“ _Well, a diamond never grows old, just as my love for you will never grow to be so. A circle has no end and no beginning, of course our love had a beginning, but I am unsure exactly the point I fell in love with you, as it came on gradually, but I know that it has no bounds, no end. A cicrle has no sides to speak of, it is completely equal with itself, and unified; I share th_ _at hope for us. We can be a united front against the rest of the world. Of course, our marriage is not completely equal. You have 51% of the control, there is no denying that._

_B_ _edelia shook her head. “Don’t pretend you don’t want all the control. You’re a man that lives for control.”_

_Hannibal nodded. “That is true, but I don’t mind sacrificing that power to make the woman I love happy._ _Everything I do from this point forward will be for you, to protect_ _you from anyone or thing that may mean you harm. Like I neglected to do with Neal._ _I won’t ever let that happen again.”_

“ _So the only one that will get to hurt me is you? I know your wish is to make a meal of me, and I know you, one day you’ll succeed,” she remarked._

“ _Perhaps, but I will only succeed when you wish me to.”_

“ _And if I decide that will be never.”_

“ _Never is a very long time.”_

“ _That it is.”_

_Hannibal shook his head. “Tell me what it is you would like in this very moment,” he whispered into her ear._

_Bedelia turned her head to look into his eyes. “I’m sure that you know,” she whispered, moving to face him properly before pushing him onto his back._

“ _Well, when you put it like that, you make me want to say yes even more than I did before.”_

 

Bedelia stared out the window, watching the rain fall outside. Taking small sips of her tea, she thought about what she would say to Hannibal’s lawyer about the ring. She wanted him to be allowed to wear it again, but she knew that it might not happen like that. Alana Bloom was jealous of her, as was Alana’s old pal Will Graham. She wasn’t likely to let Bedelia win.

Bedelia knew that Hannibal likely would not approve of taunts. Besides, she had their child to think about, and taunting people in the FBI or those with close contacts in the Bureau would not help her or her child.

No matter what she wanted, there was one desire that trumped all others. For Hannibal to be free once again. It wasn’t likely to happen, not with all that he stood accused of. She knew he was guilty, but somehow she had managed to fall in love with a sociopathic cannibal, and that same man had somehow fallen in love with her. He shouldn’t be able to feel love, but he did. No one could fake his actions.

He was guilty, and she wanted him free. What did that make her? An accomplice, a monster? Crazy? No. To her, she was a mother who loved the father of her child, and wanted him their for their child. Hannibal would never hurt their child. He wasn’t the monster everyone thought he was. He was a monster, but there was more to him than what others saw.

She picked up her phone and dialled the number for Hannibal’s lawyer. She had to speak with him.

 

“Mr Charkham’s office, how may I help you?” the voice at the other end asked, picking up after two rings.

“Oh, Mr Charkham, thank goodness you picked up. I wasn’t sure you would at this hour,” she replied, noticing that it was 3 minutes before he was scheduled to leave the office. “It’s Dr Du Maurier, Dr Lecter’s wife.”

“How are you today Dr Du Maurier? I presume it’s something of the utmost importance,” Charkham asked, prompting her.

“I’m not doing so well. I went to visit Hannibal today, and apparently, the FBI removed me as his next of kin, and they’ve taken his wedding ring. Please, is there anything you could do, or try to do?” she asked, trying to prevent herself from sounding hysterical. It hurt her to say these things, despite the fact that they were the truth. She didn’t want them to be such. She couldn’t bear the thought.

“I could try speaking to Dr Bloom about this. After all, you are currently his next of kin, no matter what the Bureau or Dr Bloom says. He listed you as such, and you are the mother of his unborn child. Even if the child was listed as his next of kin, as their guardian, you would make decisions and be in charge,” he said, “as for the ring, he may not be allowed to wear it, as per inmate rules. If there is no rule stating such, I will do what I can to make sure it is returned to him. If there is, I will have it returned to you.”

Bedelia smiled. “Thank you, Mr Charkham. It upset me, you understand.”

“Of course I do. I know that your marriage is not a farce, I’ve seen the paperwork with my own two eyes. Besides, mistreatment of my clients is not something I take very lightly, as I’m sure you’re aware,” he remarked, “I’ll go to BSHCI now and speak to Dr Bloom. I’ll call you when I have news.”

“Thank you, Mr Charkham,” she said, “I look forward to your call.”

She hung up the phone and smiled deeply. Stroking her belly, she looked down at her bump. “Don’t worry little one, your daddy will be safe and sound and with us again. Sooner, I hope, rather than later, but we must wait a little while longer. And the time without him will only make us love him more.”


	3. Chapter Three

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Charkham confronts Alana and she returns Hannibal's ring.

“Mr Charkham, I presume you are here because Dr DuMaurier called you?” Alana asked, gesturing for the lawyer to take a seat across from her at her desk. The two sat down and looked at each other, preparing for the possibility of an argument.

“Yes, Dr Lecter-DuMaurier telephoned me,” he replied, correcting her in regards to Bedelia’s recently modified surname. “As Dr Lecter’s next of kin, and the mother of his only child, she has certain rights. Rights that, for some reason, you and the FBI seem to ignore. The marriage between my clients is legally valid, as they signed the marriage certificate in their own names, rather than those they assumed in France. You cannot deny her the possessions of her husband. He even listed her as his next of kin when given the choice. Neither you, nor the FBI, has the right to change that without their consent.”

Alana pursed her lips slightly. “I understand that you’re under obligation to defend the two of them, but if you knew the plan that Jack Crawford has, you wouldn’t try so hard for them.”

“They pay me well, and they’re good clients, even if they’re not the best people,” Charkham replied, “please, allow Hannibal to wear his ring, or return it to his wife. In addition to his other effects. Otherwise, we’ll have to press charges against the hospital.”

Alana sighed and nodded. “Fine, I will return his ring to him. And return his other effects to Dr DuMaurier. She can pick them up tomorrow if she so wishes.”

Mr Charkham nodded and stood. “Thank you Dr Bloom. Let us hope we don’t need to meet again for such unpleasant reasons.”

Alana nodded. “Let us hope.”

 

Once Charkham left, Alana opened the bottom drawer of her desk, pulling out the ring she had confiscated from Hannibal. Yes, she was jealous, and it had contributed to her taking of his ring. She had done the right thing, and look at how she had been rewarded. Dr DuMaurier, on the other hand, had run off to hide from him. He was going to kill her, but instead he brought her to Europe. She wasn’t a friend, and where had the sudden love she and Hannibal had for each other come from? Before Europe, and even in Europe, Hannibal’s main focus seemed to have been Will.

 

She had no choice now but to give Hannibal his wedding ring back. Legally, their marriage may not be a farce, but that didn’t mean that it was legitimate. The couple in question should believe the vows they are taking, and not taking them to entrap someone or stay alive. She walked out of her office, sighing deeply. She wouldn’t admit to anyone the truth, but she was still jealous. Approaching Hannibal’s cell was the most difficult thing she had done in a long time.

Once she was inside the cell with the guard, she took a deep breath. “Hannibal, I have something for you,” she began.

 

Hannibal stared blankly at the glass walls of the cell. “And?” he asked a moment later, just as Alana was about to repeat herself.

“I’ve been ordered to return your wedding ring to you. Dr Du Maurier put up quite a fight, and your lawyer just left,” she said.

“Thank you, though it’s a shame that you had to be ordered to return a harmless item to me. However, I am glad that Bedelia did as she said she would. Of course, I had no doubt of that, Bedelia is a good and loyal wife, that I would never replace,” he said, trying his best to make Alana jealous of Bedelia.

“Well, apparently you can’t kill anyone with your ring, which means that you can have it back,” Alana replied, ignoring the jab about loyalty.

Hannibal bit the inside of his lip to stop himself from smiling once the ring was back in his hand. He slipped it onto his finger, silently vowing to not let anyone ever take it from him again. “It shouldn’t have been taken from me in the first place. I will be speaking to my wife about more things that ought to be happening. I’m quite certain that you and the FBI are prohibiting her from doing a great amount of things. I love my wife, but she is still my victim to a degree. I wouldn’t hurt her physically, but those closest to me... Alana, you know I’m emotionally manipulative. If I find out that she’s lost rights or isn’t getting what she ought to be entitled to, I will be very upset.”

“And what exactly is she entitled to?” Alana asked, pursing her lips.

“My estate, money, everything that is or was mine. It belongs to Bedelia now,” he replied, “she should not be made to pay for my crimes.” 

Alana shook her head. “The families of your victims filed wrongful death suits, in addition to malpractice suits against both of you. Neal Frank, Franklyn Froideveaux, Tobias Budge, Miriam Lass. The list goes on, Hannibal. Once it’s all over, she won’t have very much left, neither of you will.”

“Why is she being sued for malpractice?” he asked. If anyone deserved a suit against them for the death of Neal Frank, it was him. He referred Neal to Bedelia, and nearly got the woman he loved killed. Instead, she had done what he had been dying to do for quite some time.

“Neal Frank. After what’s happened, there’s doubt of the story the two of you told. His family wanted to charge her with murder, they still do. If she’s found guilty, the child she’s carrying will become a ward of the state, likely never having a home. After all, I can’t imagine very many people would be willing to take the offspring of two convicted murderers into their home,” she replied.

Hannibal’s heart fell. Bedelia could not take the fall for Neal Frank’s death. “They can’t do that. Bedelia is innocent. She was defending herself from an attack, she had every right to do that. Just like I did with Tobias.”

“Well, whatever the true story is, this is happening, and there is nothing you can do. I don’t know what else to say. I’m not sorry that justice is being served. I just hope that the child doesn’t turn out like their parents,” she said, turning to leave.

Hannibal sat back down and pressed his lips to the ring before allowing the tears for his wife and unborn child fall. Their family had been torn apart more than enough. The last thing Bedelia and the child needed was to be separated from one another. It would break Bedelia’s heart even further, and he knew that it would be all his fault. He had to find a way to fix the problem, and there were very few ways that he could do so.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The next chapter (the penultimate chapter) will be longer. Expect it in the next couple of weeks. I'm rewatching Hannibal with my friend and her family, so I'm in the groove. <3


End file.
